A MASSIVE TIBETAN GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF NINETEEN-FACED AVALOKITESHVARA

19TH/20TH CENTURY

The thousand-eyed and thousand-armed bodhisattva stands with one knee bent upon a lotus base, with one hand in abhaya mudra and the other held forwards, each of the tiered heads adorned with an elaborate crown, wearing beaded body jewellery and a dhoti decorated with roundels and scrolling floral borders, with small figures kneeling in prayer and many animals and beasts upon the pedestal, 194cm, estimated weight 300-400kg. (7)

Provenance: formerly the collection of P S McKay, who was believed to have been a diplomat; and then sold at Fidler Taylor, Derbyshire on 13th September 2003.